Pool Player Policy and Procedures

Policy:

The Cape Cod Senior Softball League will establish and maintain Pool Players in each Division to provide team Managers with a fair and equitable way to fill temporary vacancies in their rosters for regular season games.

Procedures:

Pool Administrator, Divisional Pool Coordinators

1. The Pool Player Administrator will appoint and supervise Pool Player Coordinators for each Division and perform administrative duties as assigned by the Board Liaison. He is also responsible for registering Permanent Pool Players, collecting their dues, obtaining their signed Waiver of Liability, providing them with Pool Player shirts and caps, and notifying the appropriate Coordinators of their availability.
2. The Division Pool Player Coordinator is responsible for managing a roster of “Regular” and “Permanent” Pool Players and responding to requests from team Managers for Pool Players. The Coordinator for each Division must play in Division other than the one he is assigned to as Coordinator. 
3. Coordinators will attend pre-season games to recruit Regular Pool Players.

“Permanent” and “Regular” Pool Players

1. Permanent Pool Players are players unassigned to established teams who have registered with the League, paid their Pool Player dues, and signed a Waiver of Liability.
2. Regular Pool Players are players from established teams who have volunteered to be Pool Players. They may not play as Pool Players in their own Division.
3. All Pool Players when playing are required to wear distinctive Pool Player shirts provided by the League.
4. A player who joins the CCSSL after the initial team assignments have been made can request to be assigned to an established team or as a Pool Player by contacting any Division President.  The Division Presidents in coordination with the PEAC will determine the new player’s team or pool assignment and whether he is an Impact Player. 

“Impact Players”

1. Prior to July 1, the Pool Player Administrator will submit a list of perspective Permanent and Regular Pool Players to the Division Presidents and the Player Evaluation & Assignment Committee (”PEAC”) to determine the Impact Players in each Division
2. Impact Players are ineligible to play in higher age bracket Divisions.
3. Definition of an Impact Player is a player who has the potential to change the outcome of the game—either positively or negatively.

Requests for Pool Players

1. Managers who expect to have nine (9) regular roster players or less for a game may request up to two (2) Pool Player replacements.  Managers who expect ten (10) players may request one (1) Pool Player.   
2. At no time may a team utilizing a Pool Player have more than eleven (11) active players on its bench for the game, including Non-Fielding or Designated Hitter players.  Non-playing managers and scorekeepers may be on the bench.
3. Managers requesting Pool Players must provide the Coordinator with the names of the regular roster players for which Pool Player replacements are requested and the name of the opposing team for the game.
4. All requests for Pool Players must be made by the Manager to the Division Coordinator at least 24 hours, if possible, before the scheduled game.
5. Only Pool Players assigned by the Coordinator in response to a request may play in the designated game. If a team uses a substitute player other than an assigned Pool Player, the team will automatically forfeit the game without recourse and also be penalized by forfeiture of a prior win in the League standings.

Assignment of Pool Players

1. The Division Coordinator will provide Pool Players from his list of Permanent Pool Players first and then, if none are available, from his list of Regular Pool Players. This is intended to give Managers visibility to as many Permanent Pool Players as possible in order to help determine those to be designated Impact Players.
2. Pool Player Coordinators for each Division shall first assign Permanent Pool Players to a team from the combined Pool Player list.
3. In response to a request for a Pool Player(s), the Coordinator will notify the requesting Manager by e-mail or other form of contact, with a copy to the Manager of the opposing team, of the name(s) of the Pool Player(s) assigned and the name(s) of the replaced regular roster player(s) who will no longer be eligible to play in the game.
4. Except during pre-season games, Pool Players will only be assigned to positions of catcher, right field or right-center field.
5. Pool Players must play every inning in the field and bat last in the batting order.

“Regular” Pool Player Staffing by Division

1. Division 1 Pool will be supplied by non-Impact Player volunteers in Division 2.
2. Division 2 Pool will be supplied by Non-Impact Player volunteers in Division 1 and Division 3.
3. Division 3 Pool will be staffed by Non-Impact Player volunteers in Division 2.

Playoff Games

1. Pool Players will not be eligible for playoff games under the normal procedures.  However, if a team will be below an active eleven (11) man roster during post season playoffs, the Manager may request the Board to authorize the use of a Pool Player(s) to bring the team’s roster up to eleven (11) players.  This request must be made prior to August 15th.
2. The Board, in conjunction with the PEAC, will assign a named Pool Player(s) to the team’s roster for the duration of the playoffs.